SEROLOGICAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ERWINIA-HERBICOLA STRAINS OF PLANT ANDHUMAN-ORIGIN

Fifty Erwinia herbicola isolates obtained from host plants were examin ed in an agglutination reaction with antiserum prepared against E. ana nas (E. herbicola) strain CCM 2407 antigen of plant origin and with an tiserum prepared against Enterobacter agglomerans strain CNCTC M 269 a ntigen of human origin. In tests with strain CCM 2407 antiserum, 56 % isolates showed a positive reaction, while in tests with strain CNCTC M 269 antiserum only 14 % isolates showed a positive reaction. Among E . herbicola isolates which showed a positive reaction with CCM 2407 an tiserum 18 % showed a positive reaction with the CNCTC M 269 antiserum too. Our results confirmed the serological heterogeneity of E. herbic ola population. In spite of the difference in the origin of the two an tigens used for the preparation of antisera (plant, human; Japan, Czec h Republic) our results indicate that some of our E. herbicola strains and E. agglomerans strain CNCTC M 269 are serologically identical.